Electrodic endoscopic instrtjment



Aug; 24, 1937.

F. c. WAPPLER 4 2,090,923 ELECTRODIC ENDOSCOPIC INSTRUMENT Filed July 12, 1935 INVENT OR,

Edwiak Chm-la Wq'p a:

ATT EY.

Patented Aug. 24, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRODIC ENDOSCOPIC INSTRUMENT Frederick Charles Wappler, New York, N. Y. Application July 12, 1935, Serial No. 30,949

9 Claims.

trode rod therein, the rod having an operative electrode at its forward end protruding from the fenestra.

While I have herein illustrated and shall hereinafter describe an instrument designed primarily for the resection of channels or the like in the prostate gland, nevertheless it will be understood that the various phases of my invention are not necessarily restricted to an instrument having this specific purpose.

One of the features of the present improved instrument lies in the provision of a yieldable means for impeding the actuation of the electrode rod as the operative electrode approaches close to an end edge of a lateral fenestra. With the eye of the operator usually maintained at the objective of a telescope, with which the operator is observing the functioning of the electrode, a construction of the type mentioned functions to Warn the operator that the electrode is approaching close to the end of the fenestra. Where the fenestra is of metal, this warning permits the longitudinal movement of the electrode to be stopped prior to the time when a short-circuiting might occur.

Another feature of my invention lies in an improved assembly of those parts controlling the reciprocal movements of the electrode rod. More particularly, I provide an arrangement whereby a rack-and-pinion association may be employed with greater facility and with more accurate control of the electrode movements.

A further feature of the invention lies in a construction which permits electrical connections to be established from either side of the instrument, and also permits the actuation of the electrode to be accomplished from either side of This facilitates the use of the.

the instrument. instrument under differing conditions, and avoids cumbersome electrical connections and clumsy manual operations under the varying conditions in which the instrument is used.

A still further feature of my invention lies in providing an improved arrangement for establishing electrical connection between a terminal block and the operative electrode.

I achieve the foregoing objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an instrument constructed in accordance with my present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective ,view of the forward end of the electrode rod;

Figure 3 is an enlarged. cross-sectional view taken substantially in the same direction as Figure 1, showing the connection between the rear of the electrode rod and the electric terminal;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially along-the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an alternative form of electrode rod.

The sheath Ill may be of metal or other suitable material, and is provided with the forward beak I I and the lateral fenestra I2. At its rear end, the

sheath is provided with the collar I3 and with the sleeve I4, the latter being adapted, in conventi0na1 manner, toaccommodate .a plug I5 forming part of the bundle of elements that areto be mounted in the sheath.

One or more petcocks. I6 may be carried by the sleeve I4, to establish communication with suitable irrigating tubes which form no direct part of the present invention. Similarly, an attaching clamp I! is carried by the sleeve I I and is adapted to engage removably with the forked portion I8 carried by the inserted bundle of elements.

This bundle is'bllilt up around a bearing member I9 which carries the plug I5 and the rearwardly extending, rigid bar 20. At the rear end of the bar 20 is a secondary bearing 2| adapted to facilitate the support of a telescopic tube 22. The latter has the usual eye-piece 23 at its rear end, projects through a suitable bore in the hearing I9, and has at its forward end (not shown) an the bearing for this purpose. At its forward end the electrode rod carries the operative electrode 26 which is shown, in Figure 2, inthe form of a transverse, knife-like projection. This electrode is electrically connected with two ensheathed wires 2? which extend rearwardly from the head 26 in spaced, substantially parallel relationship, so that the telescope may command a view of the head 26 through the space between the wires. At the rear, the ensheathed wires 21 merge and project into a sheath 28 of insulation, within which a wire 29 extends rearwardly through the length of the electrode rod. The sheath 28 may, itself, be enclosed throughout almost its entire length by a metallic sheath, to which the reference numeral is applied. This numeral, however, is intended to designate, generally, the electrode rod as a unit.

In accordance with my invention, the rear end of the wire 29 is bare and has secured thereto, close to the extreme tip, a coiled spring 30 which is preferably soldered into position. Because of the fact that the insulation 28 terminates short of the rear end, the electrode rod may be-said to have an uninsulated, attenuated rear end.

The electrode rod is adapted. to be removably inserted into an insulating block 3|, which is shown most clearly in Figures 3 and 4. This block has a transverse bore which accommodates an electric terminal 32. This terminal projects from opposite sides of the block, 'as shown most clearly in Figure 4; and the projecting ends are enclosed within removable sleeves or tubes 33 and'34, composed of insulating material. The block 3| is also provided with a longitudinal bore which intersects, tangentially, with the transverse bore. The longitudinal bore accommodates at its inner end a conductive bushing 35 which is in electrical contact with the terminal 32. The bushing is adapted to receive the attenuated, uninsulated, rear end of the electrode rod, as shown most clearly in Figure 3, thereby establishing an insulated electrical connection between the terminal 32, at the rear, and the operative electrode 26, at the front.

When the electrode rod is inserted rearwardly into the block 3|, the coilspring 30 is compressed against the front end wall of the bushing 35, and this insures a. firm electrical connection at all times. The rod is held in place by a pair of jaws 36 whose tightening and loosening is accomplished by the knob 31.

The block 3| is substantially rectangular in contour, and through its upper portion there is provided a bore 38 which permits the telescope 22 to pass through it. At the bottom, the block 3| carries a rack 39 which is thus mounted in offset relation to the axis of the electrode rod 25. The rack extends forwardly through the bearing l9, as shown most clearly in Figure 1.

Within the lower portion of the bearing I9, I mount a pinion 4|] which meshes with the rack 33; and on opposite sides, respectively, of the bearing I mount a pair of hand wheels 4| and 42 which are aligned with each other and which are operatively connected with the pinion 40. I have illustratively shown the wheels 4|, 42 and the pinion 40 mounted upon a common shaft 43. Thus, manipulation of either of the wheels 4 I, 42 controls the actuation of the pinion and hence of the rack 39 and the electrode rod 25.

When the instrument is used, the block 3| moves back and forth underneath the bar 20, and in accordance with my present invention this bar carries a resiliently yieldable abutment or finger 44 so positioned as to be encountered by the upper rear edge of the block 3| at a predetermined point. More particularly, the

parts are so arranged that when the electrode 26 is moved rearwardly, and approaches close to the rear edge 45 of the fenestra l2, i. e., to the dot-and-dash position of Figure 1, the block 3| abuts against the yieldable finger M. This serves as a means for impeding the actuation of the electrode rod, and although the finger 44 will yield to permit the block to move rearwardly to the dot-and-dash position 46 if such movement is desired, the encounter with the finger 44 serves as a convenient warning to the operator that the electrode 26 has reached the dot-and-dash position of Figure 1. To illustrate this mode of operation, I have indicated by the reference numeral 1c and by the accompanying arrows the equality between the respective movements of the electrode 26 and of the insulating block 3|. The electrode rod of Figure 6 is exactly the same as that hereinbefore described, and the reference numerals are, therefore, the same, except that the operative tip is not in the form of a knife-like element 26 but in the form of a transverse, U-shaped loop 26. These electrodes, and others, may be selectively employed because of the removable manner in which they {25 may be associated with the block 3| as hereinbefore described. Regardless of which electrode is used, the abutment of the block 3| against the yieldable means 44 serves as a convenient warning to the operator that the operative elec- 30 'jecting relation of the terminal 32, permits the instrument to be used under varying conditions without having connection wires interfere with its operation. In other words, a lead wire may be connected, as desired, either to one or the other side of the insulating block 3|. Similarly,

the electrode rod may be reciprocated from either side of the instrument and with either hand of lfi the operator.

In general, it will be understood that changes in the details, herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense. Having thus described my invention, and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an instrument of the character described, a conductive sheath having a lateral fenestra,- an insulated electrode rod mounted for longitudinal movement in said sheath, an operative electrode carried at the end of said rod and protruding from said fenestra, control means for moving said rod, and a yieldable means impeding the actuation of said control means as the electrode approaches close to an end edge of said fenestra.

2. In an instrument of the character described, a conductive sheath having a lateral fenestra, an insulated electrode rod mounted for longitudinal movement in said sheath, an operative electrode carried at the end of said rod and protruding from said fenestra, control means for moving said rod, and a yieldable means impeding the actuation of said control means as the electrode approaches close to an end edge of said fenestra, said yieldable means comprising a resilient, yieldable abutment mounted in fixed relation to the sheath and so positioned as to be encountered by a rear portion of the electrode rod.

3. In an instrument of the character described, a conductive sheath having a lateral fenestra, a telescope in the sheath commanding a view of the fenestra, a bar projecting rearwardly from the sheath and having a bearing for the telescope at its rear end, an insulated electrode rod mounted for longitudinal movement in said sheath, an operative electrode carried at the end of said rod and protruding from said fenestra, control means for moving said rod, and a yieldable means carried by said bar and encounterable by a rear portion of the electrode rod for impeding the actuation of said control means as the electrode, during its retractive movement, approaches close to the rear edge of said fenestra.

4. In an instrument of the character described, a conductive sheath having a lateral fenestra, an insulated electrode rod mounted for longitudinal movement in said sheath, an operative electrode carried at the forward end of said rod and protruding from said fenestra, an insulating block carried at the rear end of the electrode rod,

30 an electric terminal on said block, a wire establishing an insulated electrical connection between said terminal and electrode, control means for moving said rod, and a yieldable means mounted in fixed relation to the sheath and en- 35 counterable by said block for impeding the rearward movement of the electrode rod as the electrode approaches close to the rear edge of said fenestra.

5. In an instrument of the character described, a conductive sheath having a lateral fenestra, a bearing at the rear end of the sheath, an insulated electrode rod mounted for longitudinal movement in said bearing, an operative electrode carried at the forward end of said rod and protruding from said fenestra, an insulating block carried at the rear end of the electrode rod, an electric terminal on said block, a wire establishing an insulated electrical connection between said terminal and electrode, a rack carried by said block in offset relation to the axis of the rod and extending through said bearing, a pinion mounted in said bearing and meshing with said rack, and a control means on the exterior of said bearing for actuating said pinion.

6. In an instrument of the character described,

a conductive sheath having a lateral fenestra, a 7

bearing at the rear end of the sheath, an insulated electrode rod mounted for longitudinal movement in said bearing, an operative electrode carried at the forward end of said rod and protruding from said fenestra, an insulating block carried at the rear end of the electrode rod, an electric terminal on said block, a wire establishing an insulated electrical connection between said terminal and electrode, a rack carried by said block in offset relation to the axis of the rod and extending through said bearing, a pinion mounted in said bearing and meshing with said rack, and a pair of aligned hand wheels mounted on opposite sides of said bearing, respectively, and operatively connected to said pinion so that either wheel may be manipulated to actuate said pinion.

7. In an instrument of the character described, an electrode rod having an uninsulated rear end, an insulating block having a transverse bore and having also a longitudinal bore adapted to accommodate said rod, an electrical terminal in said transverse bore and projecting from opposite sides of said block, and a bushing in the longitudinal bore in contact with "said terminal.

,8. In an instrument of the character described, an electrode rod having an uninsulated rear end, an insulating block having a transverse bore and having also a longitudinal bore intersecting the transverse bore tangentially, an electric terminal in the transverse bore and projecting from opposite sides of said block, and a bushing in the longitudinal bore in contact with said terminal and adapted to receive the uninsulated rear end of said rod when the latter is inserted into the longitudinal bore.

9. In an instrument of the character described, an electrode rod having an uninsulated rear end, a coil spring secured around said end, an insulating block carrying an electrical terminal and provided with a bore in communication with said terminal, and a bushing in said bore in contact'with said terminal, said rod end being insertable into said bore and bushing so as to compress said spring against the front end 7 wall of the bushing.

FREDERICK CHARLES WAPPLER. 

